Bulgaria Begins Accepting Online Voting Applications for Expats Ahead of October Election

The Bulgarian Central Election Commission (CEC) has commenced accepting online applications for voting abroad starting at midnight, as announced on Tuesday. This online submission period for the upcoming October 27 election will close at the end of October 1.

In the previous elections held on June 9, a total of 38,113 pre-approved applications for voting outside Bulgaria were recorded. According to Tsvetozar Tomov, the Deputy Chairman of the CEC, 60 countries and their respective regions meet the criteria for setting up polling stations. However, Tomov did not specify the exact number of these stations, noting that it is uncertain whether a polling station will be established in every eligible location.

Tomov assured that the number of polling stations abroad will not be fewer than those set up during the June 9 elections. On that date, 769 polling stations were established outside Bulgaria, where 140,494 votes were cast. A review of the CEC's provisional list indicates that 783 locations across the 60 eligible countries are suitable for polling stations. This list includes places where, in elections held within the past five years, a polling station was formed with at least 100 voters.